36th (Ulster) Division

The history of 36th (Ulster) Division

On 3 September 1914, just short of a month after Britain had declared war and after much discussion regarding what amounted to a political ‘truce’ with regard to domestic matters, Sir Edward Carson (one of the great political leaders opposing Home Rule for Ireland) made an appeal at the meeting of the Ulster Unionist Council in Belfast, urging the men of the Ulster Volunteer Force to come forward for service in the defence of the British Empire. Despite the fact that many Ulstermen had made their own decisions and had already enlisted, an entire formation known as the Ulster Division was soon raised – and all of its infantry units were based on existing units of the UVF. Thirteen battalions were raised for the three Irish regiments based in Ulster: the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, the Royal Irish Fusiliers and the Royal Irish Rifles.

1914
August: formed in Ireland as the Ulster Division, with Brigades numbered 1,2 and 3. On 28 August 1914, the Division and its Brigades adopted the titles shown on this page.

1915
July: the Division moved to Seaford on the Sussex coast of England. Lord Kitchener inspected the Division there on 27 July 1915, and later remarked to Carson “your Division of Ulstermen is the finest I have yet seen”. Another inspection took place, by King George V, on 30 September.

3-6 October: the Division moved to France, although the artillery remained in England until November.

The Ulster Division initially concentrated in the area around Flesselles, some ten miles north of Arras. Gradually, men were sent in groups for familiarisation with trench warfare conditions, and were attached to the regular army 4th Division for the purpose in the (at this time) quiet are north of the River Ancre near Albert.

On 21 October the Division was moved away from the fighting area towards Abbeville, where it spent most of the winter of 1915-16 continuing training. One of the Brigades was attached to 4th Division for several weeks at this time and the artillery finally rejoined.

1916
The whole Division finally took over a complete section of the front line on 7 February, between the River Ancre and the Mailly-Maillet to Serre road. Division HQ was at Acheux. In the first week of March, the Division extended its front, the 109th Brigade taking over the sector south of the Ancre, known by the name of Thiepval Wood.

The Division remained in the Wesrern Friont in France and Flanders throughout the rest of the war and took part in the following engagements

The Battle of Albert* in which the Division attacked at the Schwaben Redoubt near Thiepval.

This map, an extract of a larger map from the British Official History, shows the ground over which the Ulstermen attacked on 1 July. Their front line skirted the northern edge of Thiepval wood, facing a gentle upward slope toward Schwaben Redoubt, a defensive complex in the second main German trench system north of Thiepval.

The Division was relieved on 2 July, having suffered 5104 casualties of who approximately 2069 died.* the battle marked * is a phase of the Battles of the Somme 1916

1917
The Battle of Messines, in which the Division captured Wytschaete
The Battle of Langemarck**** the battles marked ** are phases of the Third Battles of Ypres 1917The Cambrai Operations, including the capture of Bourlon Wood

1918
The Division was substantially reorganised in February 1918.
The Battle of St Quentin+

On 21 March 1918 the Division was holding a sector of the British front line and Forward Zone south west of St Quentin. The main defences consisted of a number of isolated redoubts, in which the Ulstermen held on for several hours while under bombardment and ultimately being surrounded and cut off.

The Actions at the Somme Crossings+
The Battle of Rosieres++ the battles marked + are phases of the First Battles of the Somme 1918The Battle of Messines++
The Battle of Bailleul++
The First Battle of Kemmel Ridge++++ the battles marked ++ are phases of the Battles of the Lys
The Battle of Ypres^
The Battle of Courtrai^
The action of Ooteghem^^ the battles marked ^ are phases of the Final Advance in Flanders

On 11 November the Division was at Mouscron, north east of Tourcoing. It remained there throughout the period of demobilisation. It ceased to exist on 29 June 1919.

The Great War cost 36th (Ulster) Division 32186 men killed, wounded or missing.

The order of battle of the 36th (Ulster) Division

107th Brigade

This brigade was attached to 4th Division for instructional purposes between 5 November 1915 and 3 February 1916

8th Bn, the Royal Irish Rifles

(East Belfast) renamed as 8/9th from August 1917 and disbanded 7 February 1918

9th Bn, the Royal Irish Rifles

(West Belfast) merged into 9th Bn from August 1917

10th Bn, the Royal Irish Rifles

(South Belfast) disbanded 20 February 1918

15th Bn, the Royal Irish Rifles

(North Belfast)

107th Machine Gun Company

joined 18 December 1915, moved to 36th Bn MGC 1 March 1918

107th Trench Mortar Battery

joined 1 April 1916

1st Bn, the Royal Irish Fusiliers

joined August 1917, left for 108th Bde February 1918

1st Bn, the Royal Irish Rifles

joined February 1918

2nd Bn, the Royal Irish Rifles

joined February 1918

108th Brigade

11th Bn, the Royal Irish Rifles

(South Antrim) renamed as 11/13th from 13 November 1917 and disbanded 18 February 1918

12th Bn, the Royal Irish Rifles

(Central Antrim)

13th Bn, the Royal Irish Rifles

(County Down) merged into 11th Bn on 13 November 1917

9th Bn, the Royal Irish Fusiliers

(County Armagh)

108th Machine Gun Company

joined 26 January 1916, moved to 36th Bn MGC 1 March 1918

108th Trench Mortar Battery

joined 1 April 1916

7th Bn, the Royal Irish Rifles

joined October 1917, merged into 2nd Bn November 1917

2nd Bn, the Royal Irish Rifles

joined November 1917, left February 1918

1st Bn, the Royal Irish Fusiliers

joined from 107th Bde February 1918

109th Brigade

9th Bn, the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

(County Tyrone)

10th Bn, the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

(Derry) disbanded January 1918

11th Bn, the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

(Donegal and Fermanagh) disbanded February 1918

14th Bn, the Royal Irish Rifles

(Young Citizens) disbanded February 1918

109th Machine Gun Company

joined 23 January 1916, moved to 36th Bn MGC 1 March 1918

109th Trench Mortar Battery

joined 1 April 1916

1st Bn, the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

joined February 1918

2nd Bn, the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

joined February 1918

12th Brigade

This brigade was attached from 4th Division in exchange for 107th Brigade between 4 November 1915 and 3 February 1916

Divisional Troops

16th Bn, the Royal Irish Rifles

(County Down Pioneers) Divisional Pioneer Battalion

1st Bn, the Royal Irish Fusiliers

joined August 1917, left for 107th Bde same month

266th Machine Gun Company

joined 17 January 1918, moved to 36th Bn MGC 1 March 1918

36th Battalion MGC

formed 1 March 1918

Divisional Mounted Troops

Service Sqn, the 6th Inniskilling Dragoons

left June 1916

36th Divisional Cyclist Company, Army Cyclist Corps

broken up 31 May 1916

Divisional Artillery

The original artillery of 36th (Ulster) Division, shown below, did not accompany the Division to France in November 1915, but rejoined it there in December. The artillery of the 56th (1st London) Division moved to France with 36th (Ulster) Division and remained under command until 12 December 1915.

CLIII Brigade, RFA

CLIV (Howitzer) Brigade, RFA

broken up late September 1916

CLXXII Brigade, RFA

broken up 31 January 1917

CLXXIII Brigade, RFA

36 Heavy Battery RGA

raised with that Division but broken up while still at home

36th Divisional Ammunition Column RFA

V.36 Heavy Trench Mortar Battery, RFA

joined 20 June 1916; disbanded 11 February 1918

X.36, Y.36 and Z.36 Medium Mortar Batteries, RFA

formed 1 June 1916; on 11 February 1918, Z broken up and batteries reorganised to have 6 x 6-inch weapons each

Royal Engineers

121st Field Company

122nd Field Company

150th Field Company

36th Divisional Signals Company

Royal Army Medical Corps

108th Field Ambulance

109th Field Ambulance

1110th Field Ambulance

76th Sanitary Section

left April 1917

Other Divisional Troops

36th Divisional Train ASC

251, 252, 253 and 254 Companies.

48th Mobile Veterinary Section AVC

233rd Divisional Employment Company

joined 21 July 1917

35th Divisional Motor Ambulance Workshop

disbanded April 1916

Divisional histories

.

Divisional memorials

The Ulster Tower memorial , situated on the old German front line attacked by the 36th (Ulster) Division on 1 July 1916. A very popular spot on the Somme tourist trail for its memorials and views, but also in more recent times for a welcome tearoom. Author’s collection.

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Copyright 2019 | Chris Baker | Leamington Spa UK

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